Hilarious how the simplest social security query seems impervious to a simple answer. I can only report our experience, which is that if you tell SSA “Please start my benefit in Month X,” you will receive your first check in Month X + 1.

Regarding SS, because you are 66 you would be able to claim a spousal SS benefit if your wife were to file NOW without claiming your own SS (thus allowing it to grow until age 70). This strategy works especially well if you were the higher wage earner. Have you run the numbers on this? Open Social ...

As to savers who require non-fluctuation of principal, which is perfectly legitimate, those savers should simply take what the prevailing markets in CD’s, money market funds, and savings bonds offer. At least negative rates haven’t yet washed up on these shores. But even for such savers, once a core...

As to deciding how much and when to withdraw, eventually, the RMD’s take quite a bit of decision-making power out of our hands. And RMD’s remind us that the government would love for us to “live it up” because that’s more tax revenue sooner for the IRS. On some level, why should we care about payin...

As to deciding how much and when to withdraw, eventually, the RMD’s take quite a bit of decision-making power out of our hands. And RMD’s remind us that the government would love for us to “live it up” because that’s more tax revenue sooner for the IRS. On some level, why should we care about paying...

I did do the CFP consult once, a number of years back, in the aftermath of the GFC. Actually I wish I had followed more of their advice since they would have positioned the portfolio more bullishly than I preferred--and as it turned out, boy were they right!

Schwab just opened an expansive new office in my area (small-to-midsize city). I was surprised. Doesn't seem to fit with the "moving to online-only" narrative; but sometimes the right hand doesn't know what the left is doing, or business models change in midstream.

eucalyptus, so sorry for your loss. My dad experienced the same upon the passing of my mom - accounts frozen, unenrolled from Personal Advisory Services, transition team assigned to help. In addition, I was automatically removed as an agent. Next, the transition team helped settle accounts. Then, w...

I use that because several trusts that preen themselves on offering white-glove service to “the rich” name $30 million as the minimum. Bessemer Trust is an example. Bessemer's average account size is well below that minimum. The allure of a special service is enough to get some people to pay more o...

eucalyptus, so sorry for your loss. My dad experienced the same upon the passing of my mom - accounts frozen, unenrolled from Personal Advisory Services, transition team assigned to help. In addition, I was automatically removed as an agent. Next, the transition team helped settle accounts. Then, w...

Again, it appears many here are reacting to bad information and making quick judgements. I went through this process with VG in 2009,2011,2012 and 2016. Each time we were assigned a special representative to guide us through the forms and requirements. Each time we found the VG contact to be very h...

My quick take is to take a look at your 2019 tax situation and withdraw at least the amount to the top of your current tax bracket. Then I'd withdraw the rest in January 2020. That saves the hassle of a 1035 annuity move to Vanguard or Fidelity. If your income is in the $400k range, and you're marr...

Since, as OP concedes, neither parent is currently ready for assisted living or a nursing home, goading and herding them into a flurry of “planning for the next stage” is premature. Leave them in peace

Contra several posters above, Vanguard is exiting the annuity business and is probably no longer accepting new accounts. Check out doing a 1035 to Fidelity, though: Fidelity’s VA lineup has become more competitive, with the addition of several low-cost index funds. https://www.forbes.com/sites/matt...

Contra several posters above, Vanguard is exiting the annuity business and is probably no longer accepting new accounts. Check out doing a 1035 to Fidelity, though: Fidelity’s VA lineup has become more competitive, with the addition of several low-cost index funds. https://www.forbes.com/sites/mattc...

The information that an account clearly naming a sole beneficiary "would be frozen" is interesting, Accounts are 'frozen' at every bank and brokerage account until a certified death cert is submitted. (It took 6+ weeks to obtain a certified death cert in my mom's California county.) Once I submitte...

I use that because several trusts that preen themselves on offering white-glove service to “the rich” name $30 million as the minimum. Bessemer Trust is an example. Bessemer's average account size is well below that minimum. The allure of a special service is enough to get some people to pay more o...

I use that because several trusts that preen themselves on offering white-glove service to “the rich” name $30 million as the minimum. Bessemer Trust is an example. Bessemer's average account size is well below that minimum. The allure of a special service is enough to get some people to pay more o...

My parents, longtime Flagship clients, began using Vanguard's advisory service after my father became unable to manage their finances. My father, an engineer with a deep background in math, was a meticulous investor who Monte Carloed (and whatever else you do) with the best of you and wanted only o...

“what is rich” I think the lowest number for net investable assets where just about everyone will say, “ok, you’re rich, alright?!” Is $30 million. I use that because several trusts that preen themselves on offering white-glove service to “the rich” name $30 million as the minimum. Bessemer Trust i...

“what is rich” I think the lowest number for net investable assets where just about everyone will say, “ok, you’re rich, alright?!” Is $30 million. I use that because several trusts that preen themselves on offering white-glove service to “the rich” name $30 million as the minimum. Bessemer Trust is...

Just as an addendum, tipping protocol isn’t unrelated to the financial circumstances of the tipper. If the tipper needs to watch every penny, then by all means, be a “Scrooge” when it comes to gratuities—not “don’t tip,” but cut it fine, because one must. If the tipper is in better shape financially...

Hi there Bogleheads - I recently moved... I hired a moving company to haul my stuff from the old house to the new one. Their fee was about $575. They sent two guys out to do the job, which took about five hours. When their work was done, I told them that I didn't know the protocol for such situatio...

Good morning, I’m recently retired (age 72)my wife is 60. I am trying to design a steady stream of dividends to add to our income. I receive $2700 a month in social security. I’ve been receiving about $1000 a month from prime money market but because of the fed reducing rates that amount is shrinki...

Can’t read all 521 posts, but I read a slug of them, none of which mentioned Variable Percentage Withdrawal (“VPW”), as opposed to setting a rigid 4%, 3%, 3.33%, or other withdrawal rate at the outset of drawdown, then letting it ride come what may. https://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Variable_percentag...

I’m 69, about the age my father first started showing signs of Alzheimer’s which eventually killed him at age 77. I have a increased probability to contract that disease (DNA testing). But so far so good. >> Staying fit and active apparently reduces your risk<< “staying fit and active” can be a bit...

Since you said conservative then it's 3% SWR, a lot of the charts and data I have seen rate 3% as having a 100% success rate even at extended intervals and backtested for the worst retirement period in history which is 1966-96. Since the period starting 1966+ was particularly horrific you can have ...

There are indeed advantages to one-fund and these have been aptly canvassed by OP and others. While I still suspect that locating assets with a view to taxation will, for the disciplined investor, in the long run yield superior tax-adjusted returns, “one fund” offers significant psychological advant...

RM, sounds like you've done a lot of things right. It's natural and healthy to question and take stock of oneself, ones family and so on. Don't try to fix things that aren't broken. Starting dust-ups with the kids about internet screentime etc. is not the way to go. Take them out to a ballgame or so...

Some of us have been with Vanguard for 20 years or more. Maybe we're too used to giving Vanguard a pass on its shortcomings, in light of the many things they have done well, especially the great funds they have provided at lower and lower ER's. Let's hope one day we don't wake up and find out that V...

Vanguard blazed the low-expense trail. For a long time Fidelity and other firms lagged behind. Now competition is heating up. Fidelity has improved a lot. Vanguard's weaknesses, especially in customer service, have started to annoy more bogleheads. But some on this forum still have an attachment to ...

OP indicates he favors a gradualist approach. That’s not a bad idea in this environment. Therefore, OP should place the $1M in the money market fund and gradually bleed it into a balanced fund over the next 12 months. That leaves the burning question if the mortgage, I suggest OP gradually prepay th...

As one who tried PAS for a couple of years and exited, I agree with the negative trend of commentary above. In particular: the idea that somehow ones’ “not interested in finance at all spouse” is going to benefit from the service in some way is probably not well-founded. That was one of my motivatio...

I'm an attorney, now mainly retired. I majored in English and at the time that was seen as a premier pre-law major. Once at the firm, I saw that while that was still true, areas of law like patent were already snapping up Engineering and all STEM majors, and that trend has only accelerated. But if y...

I let the outside activities "come to me," but don't go looking for them (or do them only) for fear of having nothing to do. So far that has worked out well. I think the #1 fear I would have in retirement is living alone--something I've never done except for a couple of months when I was 17, and I d...

If you’re in love with the card, then go through the process of calling and begging for waivers etc. but my advice is to cancel the card. One option might be to try a card like Chase Sapphire where the steep annual fee, or much of it, is offset by other credits and you rack up a lot of rewards point...

(1) Go to the well-known website haven of those crotchety, anti-market-timing bogleheads. (2) Post something with a “market-timing” hook to it and adopt a callow, “hey guys, just want to know your thoughts, whaddaya think, huh guys?” pose. (3) Sit back and watch the (OK pretty predictable and not re...

The advice to segregate stocks (in taxable) and bonds (in tax deferred) is solid advice. However, for those who prefer the Balanced Fund approach, perhaps consider Vanguard Tax-Managed Balanced in taxable, it's not perfect from the standpoint of tax-minimization, but it is an excellent balanced fund...

Suggest a 10 year ladder of $2000 bank (not broker) CD's. Simple, and might mostly keep up with inflation. I think a 10 year fixed term annuity will be expensive and inflexible. >>>There is virtually no logical reason I've seen to ever use a 10 year period certain annuity.<<< You can achieve the sa...

If someone not used to handling large sums of money suddenly received a large sum of money in a windfall, and that individual asked me to advise them on lump-sum vs. DCA, I would explain the advantages and disadvantages of each approach (including citing the statistical studies which would appear to...

Just looking at the composite rate of the I bonds we hold on Treasury Direct right now, it looks like right around 2.75% (individual bond composite rate ranges from 2.1% to 3.53%). Supposing I were to sell them and pay tax on them, where would I get a better deal, including zero principal fluctuatio...

Probably no need for special "low-vol" funds. Just figure out the amount you want to dampen down the volatility of your stock portfolio and do it with bonds and/or cash. I use both. Sure, keep the bonds in tax-deferred if possible. The tax advice is absolutely correct. But if you do, that means you ...

There are tragic situations. However, there is a lot of marketing of “cognitive decline,” and as we age we’ll find relatives ( some disinterested but others with an agenda), medical professsionals, and financial advisors or would-be advisors seeking to pry control of assets away from the earners of ...